


Maria Stark

by DragonGoesMoo



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Dark, F/M, Gen, Howard is a dick, Maria is a BAMF, Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 08:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16281170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonGoesMoo/pseuds/DragonGoesMoo
Summary: Just a short story about Maria Stark's relationship with her husband before and after Tony is born.





	Maria Stark

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to be the first chapter of a larger story but I feel like it can be its own thing. 
> 
> I am looking for title suggestions too because I have no idea what to call it. All credit will go to whoever suggested the title.
> 
> Also all the Italian in this is done through google translate so if there is anything that's wrong please let me know.
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

People said that Maria Stark was soft. Motherly, they would call her to her face. Obedient when they though she couldn’t hear. They thought that she would do whatever her husband asked of her.

#

She met Howard at an art gallery opening during summer break the year before she was supposed to finish college. He was breathtaking, turning wandering around a room into a graceful dance. Never in a million years would she have imagined he would notice her, let alone stop his conversation with some stuffy business man to talk to her. Her cheeks heated when he complimented her dress, a hand-me-down from her sister that did nothing for her figure. They spoke for most of the night, Howard constantly passing her fresh drinks as she finished the one in her hand. Looking back, she would mark this as when her life changed forever.

#

Slowly, so slowly that she didn’t even notice it happening, Howard took control of Maria’s life. It started with his strong suggestion that she drop out of her studies. They had only been together a month and Maria was still so afraid that he would find someone better that she did. Her family were furious that she wasted her scholarship to one of the most prestigious music colleges in the world for a man. She didn’t, couldn’t, understand that they were right in their anger and stopped talking to most of them.

A few months after that, when she was struggling to pay rent on her apartment, he asked about her moving in with him. It was only supposed to be until she was back on her feet, but she ended up staying.

Then he convinced her to put her savings, as little as they were, in his bank account. She didn’t need her own now that Howard was there, he was a billionaire and could buy her anything she wanted.

Within a year of being together, Maria was totally dependant on Howard for everything, from food to housing to clothing. They got married shortly after their one-year anniversary. The wedding was grand and expensive and everything Maria hated. Their honeymoon was private and romantic and filled with loving embraces and tender kisses.

Her new life as a Stark was fine for a while, Howard was usually kept busy by his growing company and Maria would occupy her time by helping the Jarvis’. One night though, when one of Howard's ideas had failed and he had downed a bottle of whiskey, the hitting started.

The day after the first beating, she had tracked Howard down and confronted him about it. Threatened to leave if he so much as breathed wrong near her again. She had gotten hospitalised for that. She had mastered the art of disassociating after the third beating and would lay on the ground, imagining what her life would be like if she left him. Sometimes, when the beatings were brutal enough to put her in the hospital, she would dream up ways to kill him.

#

All thoughts of leaving Howard vanished after Antonio was born. He was her pride and joy, her precious bambino. His eyes were the same colour as Howard’s but were filled with so much more warmth and life. Happiness seemed to radiate off him and even Howard had been calmer after holding their son. That was, until Antonio proved to be smarter. At just 4 years old, her Tesoro build his first circuit board and showed it off proudly to his father while they were all eating dinner. The snarl that twisted his features as he threw the board across the room was one that Maria had seen before, directed at her right before his fist broke her nose.

Something inside her snapped when Howard’s hand connected with Antonio’s cheek. Her vision tunnelled as she rose from her chair, steak knife in hand, and told Antonio to find Jarvis. Howard was screaming something at her, spittle flying from his mouth and face turning an ugly shade of red, but she couldn’t hear anything. A faint ringing was blanketing all noise around her as she calmly dodged one of Howard’s flailing hands and plunged the knife into his neck. She yanked the serrated blade out and stabbed him again as his hand flew to the wound. Blood pulsed past his shaking fingers and his eyes were wide. He dropped to his knees in front of her, gurgling and grasping at his neck. Maria stepped back when he toppled forward, blood pooling under him and spreading across the floor. Blood was splattered across her face and hands, but she didn’t care. There would be time for shock and guilt later, after making sure Antonio was safe.

 Dropping the knife in the pool of blood, Maria walked to the phone in the hall and called to only person she knew would help her hide a body.

“This is Carter.”

“Peggy? I’m afraid I’ve done something terrible and I need your help.” People said that Maria Stark was soft and obedient, they didn’t know though. Maria was never soft, just like she was never truly a Stark. Maria was a Carbonell and she would do whatever she needed to keep her Antonio safe.


End file.
